16 October 2026

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Today's top story

Climate change isn’t the only thing fuelling Australia’s bushfire risk

Australia is bracing for what is expected to be a dangerous bushfire season driven by a so-called "super El Niño" event combined with climate change.

While weather is a key driver of bushfires, the density of bushland since colonisation is also to blame, according to new research. It confirms that Indigenous cultural burning helps mitigate what researchers call a catastrophic fire risk.

Australia

Fire preparedness a must as “extreme” fire danger season heats up

By Laura Thomas

Australian farmers are being warned against complacency, as the annual fire danger season begins to heat up.

Australian olive growers are being urged to be vigilant about bushfire and ensure their properties are properly prepared. Read more.

Hail and bushfire risk collide this spring as IAG warns of a stormy fortnight

IAG’s meteorologist expects showers and thunderstorms to become more frequent across eastern Australia over the next couple of weeks, with El Niño keeping bushfire risk elevated, after severe thunderstorms hit South Australia on Sunday and the Northern Territory overnight.

Bushfire simulation reveals green strategy that could cut Australia’s fire threat

New modelling shows irrigating low-flammability vegetation substantially reduces the predicted spread and intensity of bushfires, which could give communities critical extra preparation time, according to a University of the Sunshine Coast study.

Farmers put regenerative agriculture to the test

A five-year project will help farmers across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales test which regenerative practices could help grain producers contend with a more volatile climate.

Regenerative agriculture refers to farming and grazing practices which seek to restore and improve the health of the production system and the landscape, rather than just sustain it.

Upcoming AOA 2026 events

TAS Back to Basics Field Day

Tuesday 27 October, 8:30am - 4:30pm

Cradle Coast Olives, Abbotsham

Registrations close 20 October

TAS Think Tank Workshop

Wednesday 28 October, 9:00 - 2:00pm

Cradle Coast Olives, Abbotsham

Registrations close 20 October

SA Think Tank Workshop with Grove Demos

Wednesday 4 November, 9:00am - 5:00pm

Peninsula Providore, Tooperang

Registrations close 28 October

NSW Think Tank Workshop - TBC

Locust surveillance starts in Victoria’s Wimmera region

Locust surveillance has started in high risk areas of the Wimmera catchment in Victoria as hatchings continue in the Mallee region.

Australia’s winter crop harvest forecast ‘large but lower’

Australia’s winter crop is set to come in down on last year’s bumper harvest, but still at historically-high production volumes, according to Rabobank’s just-released 2026/27 Australian Winter Crop Forecast.

AOA Classifieds

Got something to sell? Want to buy?

If you’ve got something industry-related to sell, you can reach your target market directly with our grower-to-grower service - AOA Classifieds.

Our online classifieds are an easy and inexpensive solution to advertising your unwanted equipment. And if there’s something you’re looking for, it’s the ideal way to get the message out loud and clear to your peers and industry associates!

Classifieds start from as little as $44 for AOA members ($110 for non-members) and are online now at www.australianolives.com.au/classifieds

For details, rates, or to create a classified, hit the button below.

AOA Classifieds

New work health and safety data demands stronger action to prevent harm

Safe Work Australia published its Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2026 report on Monday, revealing the latest national data on work-related fatalities, injuries and disease.

Tragically, 222 workers lost their lives in 2025 as a result of traumatic injuries sustained at work. This is the highest annual number of worker fatalities since 2012 and is above the 5-year average of 197 fatalities.

Visit Safe Work Australia's data website to access the report and explore the data through interactive charts and new visualisation features.

National Safe Work Month

October is National Safe Work Month, an opportunity for employers across Australia to renew their commitment to safe and healthy workplaces.

The theme for National Safe Work Month in 2026 is Safe work is for life – reflecting the fundamental purpose of work health and safety: to protect workers’ lives, health and future.

Find out more about the weekly focus areas and how you can take part.

International

How trump’s second term is affecting the olive iil industry

The North American Olive Oil Association says the Trump administration’s promotion of olive oil through public-health messaging has created opportunities for the industry, but tariffs are raising consumer costs and potentially limiting consumption.

California olive oil gains ground against import competition

Imports remain the biggest challenge as domestic olive oil demand continues to grow.

Olive oil could have a surprising superpower, new research reveals

If you’ve ever found yourself questioning whether you need that appetiser of focaccia and olive oil for the table, new research fresh out of the oven at Kyoto University may just give you the nudge you need.

In an effort to better understand how the order in which we eat different foods may influence our blood sugar levels and subsequent impact on diabetes management, researchers observed a group of mice exposed to different food combinations.

From hobby to harvest: Saudi farmer cultivates giant olives

A Saudi farmer who began growing olive trees as a hobby more than two decades ago is now cultivating an unusual variety that produces fruit reportedly as large as plums.

Review explores olive oil’s role in reducing cognitive decline

A new scientific review examines how extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet may protect cognitive function by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular risk.

The centuries-old olive tree that resists the climate and beats the oil crisis

Zaituna is a variety that yields up to 300 kg of olives per plant. Frantoio Mozzicato has made it the distinguishing feature that has allowed it to establish itself on international markets.

Swiss olive growers turn backyard harvests into a growing tradition

In southern Switzerland, a volunteer-led initiative is transforming olives from private gardens into locally milled oil while encouraging new plantings and better cultivation practices.

Calendar 2026

18 October

Vic Grafting and Think Tank Workshop

Oasis Olives, Kialla East

Registrations closed

27 & 28 October

Tasmania Field Day and Think Tank Workshop

Cradle Coast Olives, Abbotsham

4 November

SA Think Tank Workshop with Grove Demos

Peninsula Providore, Tooperang

TBC

NSW Think Tank Workshop

Email Laura to have your event included.

Send us YOUR news!

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